Your Hometown News Source
Your Hometown News Source
POMEROY–Garfield County Commissioners opened ten Gould City-Mayview Road Phase IV project bids February 3, 2020. After the meeting began at 9 a.m., the bid envelopes started arriving. More seating was needed to accommodate the construction company representatives.
Bids were received from: Selland Construction, Wenatchee, Wash., for $2,046,190.50; Barker, Inc., Dayton, Wash., for $1,944,343.13; Western Construction of Lewiston, Inc., for $2,662,080.55; Scarsella Brothers, based in Seattle, Wash., for $1,747,747.47; Debco Construction, Orofino, Idaho, for $1,798,371.00; Goodfellow Brothers, Inc., Wenatchee, Wash., for $2,229,349.00; Knife River Corp., Spokane, Wash., for $2,823,715.00; Crea Construction, Inc., Lewiston, Idaho, for $2,349,632.45; M.A. DeAtley Construction, Inc., Clarkston, Wash., for $2,389,463.25; and M.L. Albright & Sons, Inc., Lewiston, Idaho, for $2,190,367.80. The estimate by Garfield County Engineer, Grant Morgan, was $2,142,997.75. The apparent low bidder was Scarsella Brothers. Morgan will evaluate each bid to verify accuracy and notify each bidding company of the decision as soon as possible.
Commissioner Justin Dixon announced that the new maintenance position being offered by the County will begin advertising the week of February 3, 2020, and continue for a second week. They plan to meet February 18, 2020, to review applications..
Morgan reported that he had received the engineering report on the structural condition of the grandstand bleachers at the fairgrounds. The report stated that the structural components are still sound, and the County may now pursue grant funding to add some safety features as an upgrade.
The commissioners signed a purchase order for additional sound system upgrades for the Dick Brown Community Building at the fairgrounds. The Shepherd Foundation has donated some funds in addition to the funds that Wayne Davis has collected to pay for the project.
A decision has yet to be made regarding the proposal for a demolition derby to be held during the Garfield County Fair for 2020. The commissioners are accepting public comments, and waiting for more information and references for Pat Bly, who brought the proposal to the Fair Board and County Commissioners. Dixon stated that after doing some research, he has learned that other counties organize the same or similar events differently, and some counties manage the events themselves, rather than contracting them out.
Katie Magill, District Court Clerk, met with the commissioners to present some quotes she has received for upgrading the courtroom sound system. The recording component of the sound system has been upgraded; however, it is not communicating well with the sound projection portion of the system. The result is that the hearing aid devices are experiencing static, and at this time are not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Dixon asked Magill to show and discuss the quotes with the County Prosecutor, Sheriff, and Judge to determine what is really needed because the quotes were offering a range of different components, resulting in a wide variation in prices. With that feedback, Dixon suggested that the commissioners would be able to make a better informed decision.
Monte Fujishin, District Ranger, USFS, met to discuss the USFS 2020 Work Plan, which is a ten-year vegetation control and fire management plan. There are some ongoing projects, such as the Tucannon, Upper Pataha, Sunrise, Tower Flats, and Big Butte projects. They will also begin a ten-year roadside vegetation clean-up, all done as handwork with burned debris. Decisions will be made in 2022 regarding clean-up projects for Leuke Creek and Iron Springs areas. Fujishin also announced that he will be retiring April, 24, 2020, and that the position has already been advertised and closed. There will be a decision on a replacement by the end of March.
2020 Seal Coat Aggregate Supply Bids will be opened February 18, 2020, which will be held on Tuesday morning because of the President’s Day holiday on Monday, February 17, 2020. The next meeting of the Garfield County Commissioners will be Monday, February 10, 2020, at 9 a.m. at the Garfield County Courthouse.